The Protector
by SnappleSauce
Summary: What happens when Edmund gets captured by the Telmarines the night of the raid? Will he survive? And will Peter finally come to terms with how he has been acting the past year? Set during Prince Caspian.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note- **Hey, this is my first story EVER, so I hope you like it. Feel free to review, and I don't mind criticism. I might have made errors, so if you spot any, please let me know. THANKS

**Disclaimer- **I don't *sniffle* own Edmund or the Chronicles of Narnia. They belong comp-*sob*-letely to C.S. Lewis and Walden Media.

**Rated- **T

**Summary- **What would happen if Edmund was captured by the Telmarines on the night of the raid? Will he make it out alive? And will Peter finally come to terms with how he has been acting?

* * *

><p>Chapter 1<p>

Edmund walked next to his griffin, Penna, along with the rest of the Narnian army. For now, they were just walking in the woods, but soon he would be in the air, soaring overhead to the Telmarine castle.

Edmund glanced over at Caspian, who was walking by his own griffin. The older boy had doubt written all over his face, and Edmund knew that he didn't look much different. When Edmund had been a King of Narnia, he, along with the counseling of Oreius, was usually the one to construct battle plans. He knew that there was a high chance this raid could end in a massacre.

Edmund looked to the head of the group, where Peter was riding a horse next to Glenstorm, the centaur. Edmund couldn't help but feel a strong annoyance at his blond-haired brother. Peter was acting much like he was before Narnia ever happened: over-confident, self absorbed, and extremely harsh. He didn't think before he acted, and Edmund assumed it would eventually get someone killed.

_Probably me, _Edmund thought bitterly.

During the debate at the Stone Table, Edmund could see Peter was trying to keep his role as High King intact. By suggesting the raid, he had given himself more power. The Narnians didn't want to disappoint the monarch, so many agreed to the raid. Caspian and Lucy protested against the raid, but Susan said nothing. When Peter had turned to Edmund for opinion, he was torn. Edmund tried to word his reply carefully:

"If they're smart, the Telmarines could just wait and starve us out."

Edmund regretted it the moment it left his mouth. It sounded like he was agreeing with Peter, but Edmund was unsure the raid would be successful. He had meant to say they shouldn't stand around the How and wait to be attacked, but he certainly did not mean they should attack an almost unbreakable fortress.

So now, there they were, at the edge of the forest. Edmund had to admit the plan wasn't horrible, even if it was Peter's idea. He would fly in first and check to make sure the coast was clear, or clear enough, and he would use his torch to signal for Peter, Caspian, Susan, and Trumpkin. They would fly to the windows, climb in, and then they would separate: Peter and Susan to Miraz's chambers, and Caspian and Trumpkin to the gatehouse, where they would meet Reepicheep and the other mice to open the gate. When he received the signal from Peter, he would signal with his torch for the armies to advance.

Peter looked over at Edmund and said harshly, "Come on Ed, get going. We don't have all night."

Edmund was startled out of his thoughts, and he quickly turned to Penna and climbed onto her back. "Ready when you are, Penna."

Penna nodded, her golden feathers ruffling. "Yes, King Edmund." She leaned back on her hind legs, building up power, before leaping up off the ground and into the air.

Edmund's hair immediately flew back, and he tightened his grip on the griffin's neck. He never told anyone, save for Lucy, of his fear of heights, and he certainly wasn't going to mention it now. He could only close his eyes and pray to Aslan that he wouldn't fall out of the sky.

Penna circled once over the army, and Edmund grimaced at the size of the army. There were maybe five-hundred soldiers, including fauns, centaurs, minotaurs, and a small selection of animals. Edmund had insisted that if they were going to fight, they needed to leave many of the archers at the How, along with many of the animals. If they were going to fail their mission, there must be someone to stay with Lucy, and take care of everything.

Penna broke out of the trees and flew out into the night air. Edmund saw the castle as it grew bigger. They flew towards the highest tower, where there was only one guard on duty. Penna flew up to the tower when the guard's back was turned; she landed on the roof, quickly folding her wings to hide from the soldier. Edmund noiselessly got off of Penna's back, holding on to the shingles of the roof. He waved his hand over to Penna, and without another word she hooked her wicked, sharp claws on the Telmarines soldier, plucking him off the ground.

She silenced the soldier quickly, making Edmund wince. Edmund watched her fly away; she was going to circle around, watching out for Edmund on Peter's orders, waiting to help him the second he was in need.

Edmund let go of the shingles, letting himself drop to the floor a couple meters below. He bent his knees and landed silently, before he stood up and took his torch out of his belt. He looked out over all of the lower towers, and was immediately overwhelmed by the height. He felt dizziness wash over him, but he shook his head to dispel the feeling.

He was relieved to see there were only a couple soldiers on duty. Any soldiers on the main floor would be taken out by Reepicheep and his friends, and any guards on duty in the towers would be taken out by Susan's arrows.

Satisfied by the few number of lookouts, Edmund flicked his torch on, shining the light up in the sky. He flicked the lights on and off repeatedly, the signal for the other four to come in on griffins. The other four, unlike Edmund, would be hanging underneath the griffins, being held by their claws. Edmund continued to flick the light, but Caspian caught his eye.

Caspian let his feet out from the claws of the griffin, letting himself dangle by one hand. He slashed at a soldier on a tower, maiming him before the poor man fell off the tower. Caspian barely spared him a glance before lifting his feet to their original opinion.

Edmund hoped that the man was dead before he hit the ground. _It would be less painful to die quickly than to go SPLAT on the ground, Edmund_ thought.

Edmund pointed his flashlight to where he knew the army was waiting, signaling for the army to move closer to the castle, traveling through the village. The villagers would not be harmed, as long as they were not hostile to the Narnians.

Edmund froze when he heard the slight _twang _of an arrow. He ducked instinctively, and was glad he did, for not a second later an arrow whizzed over his head, hitting the stone wall before clattering to the ground. Edmund looked over the edge to see the soldier who had shot at him fall to the ground, one of Susan's red-fletched arrows in his throat. He saw Peter land on the roof, unsheathing his sword and quickly killing the other soldier on duty, who fell to the ground before he could even cry out.

Edmund saw Caspian, Susan and Trumpkin land behind Peter, and the griffins quickly took off to rejoin the army. Edmund couldn't believe that the plan was working perfectly so far.

_Well, _Edmund thought, leaning up against the wall, _they're in. It's time to wait. _

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><p>AN- Well I hope my first chapter was okay. Just a fact I should add: "Penna", the name of the griffin means "wing" in Latin; I thought it was cool.

**PLEASE **Read and Review :D


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note- **Hey, this is my first story EVER, so I hope you like it. Feel free to review, and I don't mind criticism. I am going to be updating this story once a week, most likely every Friday-or at least, Friday my time. I might have made errors, so if you spot any, please let me know. THANKS

**Disclaimer- **I don't *sniffle* own Edmund or the Chronicles of Narnia. They belong comp-*sob*-letely to C.S. Lewis and Walden Media.

**Rated- **T

**Reviews- **Thanks to everyone who reviewed. If I am going to make a comment on a specific person's review, it will be at the bottom of each chapter.

**Summary- **What would happen if Edmund was captured by the Telmarines on the night of the raid? Will he make it out alive? And will Peter finally come to terms with how he has been acting?

* * *

><p>Chapter 2<p>

Edmund twirled his torch in his hands for what seemed like the thousandth time, utterly bored. He leaned his head against the wall and closed his eyes.

_When Peter said I should wait for his signal, _Edmund thought, _IT didn't realize he meant it literally! _

Edmund opened his eyes and stared at the stars, desperate for anything to take his mind off the upcoming battle. The stars were plentiful; unlike England where there were so many lights Edmund couldn't see the night sky. He enjoyed looking at them when he was living at Cair Paravel; he had a perfect view of them on his balcony when he wanted to be alone.

Edmund walked to the edge of the roof, hoping to see some kind of signal from Peter. A hand gesture out a window, a whistle—Peter hadn't even told him what the signal was. After straining his eyes for at least a minute, trying to keep an eye out for Peter, Edmund started to get dizzy. He leaned against the wall and rubbed his forehead.

_Why didn't Peter come up with a better plan? One that involved less guessing and less risks. _Edmund thought. Edmund picked up his head and took in the massive castle. _Because Peter couldn't think of one better, _he realized.

Edmund couldn't help but feel anger towards Peter. After they had fallen through the wardrobe back into England, the relationship of the Pevensie family started to collapse. Susan convinced herself that Narnia was the past, and that they would never go back. She had started to become her old self, with a head full of useless facts that she would use to bore Edmund for hours.

Peter believed that he was still High King, even in England. He had taken to bossing around Edmund, often yelling at him about what he did wrong. Peter was convinced he was better than all his classmates, which caused most of the fights Peter—and consequently Edmund—got into. Edmund was worried that Peter would become so full of himself he would march right up to the Prime Minister and demand to lead the English army himself.

Lucy hadn't changed much since Narnia. She remained faithful to Aslan, as Edmund had. She despised being treated like an adolescent, but she still spoke wisely and sweetly to anyone she encountered. She was completely distraught with how fast Susan was losing faith, and how Peter would fall into more trouble than normal.

Edmund realized he too had changed. He wasn't as confident or as bold as he was in Narnia. Edmund recalled how nervous he was to be heading back to school, and it was a relief that they arrived in Narnia so Edmund could put off his worrying for a while. While in England, Edmund stopped attempting to calm Peter down during his rampages, like he would in Narnia. He took all of Peter's yelling in silence, reigning in his temper.

Edmund leaned one elbow on the ledge, twirling the torch again in his right hand. His mind drifted off, his eyes glazed over as he thought of all the adventures they had in Narnia. All of the battles, the dances, the loving subjects; Edmund could understand why Peter wanted all of that back.

Edmund was suddenly wrenched out of his thoughts as an earsplitting scream tore through the air. Edmund winced and put both hands to his ears, dropping the torch in the process. Edmund hoped it wasn't a shriek of pain. Realizing that it was a female who screamed, he prayed that it wasn't Susan.

Edmund realized his mistake too late, and he looked over the ledge to see that his torch had fallen to the floor a story below. The clatter it had made when it hit the ground alerted a passing guard, and he went over and picked it up curiously. There were no electronics in Narnia, which was one of the only things Edmund had missed during his time as King. The guard pointed the torch at his own face and flicked the light on, instantly blinding himself with the bright light. The soldier waved the beam of light all around, his attention completely captured. Edmund could just picture Glenstorm and Nikabrik standing at the edge of the village, confusion all over their faces.

_I have to get it back to signal them, _Edmund thought. He raced back to the tower, quietly jogging down the stairs, coming to a window that happened to be right above the soldier's head. Edmund wasn't much for merciless killing, so he decided it would be best just to knock the guard out. He leaped out the window, grabbing the soldier by the shoulders and pulling him to the ground. The torch fell out the soldier's hand, the beam of light still shining.

Edmund rose to his feet, only to find the soldier up and facing him. Both pulled out their swords, and Edmund could hear the alarm bell ring through the castle. Edmund cursed, and the soldier took the opportunity to slash at him. Edmund quickly blocked the shot toward his neck, thinking frantically, _They know we're here! _

Edmund parried the soldier's slash toward his shoulder and swung his sword around towards the man's head. The soldier blocked and swiped at Edmund's legs, causing him to jump up and over the whistling blade. Edmund stopped the next attack, holding both swords in place in front of their faces. His arms started to ache from the effort, but he kept the soldier from getting his sword out of the position.

They were near the edge, and Edmund could see Peter out of the corner of his eyes. He was running across the courtyard, heading toward the main gate. "Now, Ed! Now!" Peter called up to him. "Signal the troops!"

Edmund immediately thought, _Is that really the signal? _before realizing his current situation. "I'm a bit busy, Pete!" he yelled, frustrated. With one swift move, he separated both swords and leaned forward, head-butting the soldier. The soldier backed away, momentarily stunned. Edmund swung at him, but the soldier still managed to block his blade. The soldier retaliated, hitting Edmund's sword on the hilt, knocking it out of his hand. The soldier tried to decapitate Edmund, who ducked underneath the blade. Desperate, Edmund reached down to the ground for his sword. His fingers closed around the torch, and Edmund swung up, catching the soldier on the chin. Edmund grunted and swung again, hitting the soldier on the side of the head and knocking him out cold.

Edmund was about to congratulate himself when he looked down at the torch. He groaned in irritation when he saw that the torch had a large dent in it, and the light was out. _Why did he have to have such a thick head? _Edmund thought.

Edmund hit the torch with the palm of his hand, hoping that by sheer luck it would light back up. Looking over the ledge, Edmund could see that Peter was on the main floor, turning the crank to open the gate. Susan and Caspian ran up to him, and after hesitating, they started to help him turn the crank.

Edmund cursed under his breath. _He's so stubborn, _Edmund thought angrily, banging the torch against his leg. _He should just call it off while he still can. _Edmund became so frustrated he banged the torch against his head, giving himself a migraine, when all of a sudden the light flickered before coming back on. Edmund stared at it, and could only laugh. He pointed the beam toward the waiting army and flicked the light. Edmund saw the army start to advance, and he ran back to the ledge.

On the main floor, the trio was still opening the gate, and soldiers were rapidly approaching, coming out of doors and rushing down stairs. Peter, Susan, and Caspian got the gate open just enough so that Glenstorm could ride through, only having to duck his head. The rest of the army followed, ambushing the many Telmarine soldiers.

Peter and Caspian unsheathed their swords, joining the army as Peter let out his famous battle cry:

"For Narnia!"

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><p>I hope this chapter was okay. Read and Review Please! :D<p>

**Reviews- **CG07- Thanks for the suggestion. I love Caspian/Edmund bromance, and I if can find a place for it, it will definitely go in the story. Thanks! :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note- **Hey, this is my first story EVER, so I hope you like it. Feel free to review, and I don't mind criticism. I probably have made errors, so if you spot any, please let me know. THANKS

**Disclaimer- **I don't *sniffle* own Edmund or the Chronicles of Narnia. They belong comp-*sob*-letely to C.S. Lewis and Walden Media.

**Rated- **T

**Review- **Thanks to everyone who reviewed. If I am going to make a comment on a specific person's review, it will be at the bottom of each chapter.

**Summary- **What would happen if Edmund was captured by the Telmarines on the night of the raid? Will he make it out alive? And will Peter finally come to terms with how he has been acting?

* * *

><p>Chapter 3<p>

Edmund heard the clashing of swords of the two armies down on the main floor, and he contemplated going against Peter's orders and joining the fight.

Peter had made it very clear before they left the How that he would not allow Edmund to join the battle, under any circumstances. In Edmund's opinion, Peter was just a big worry-wart. When Edmund complained that Susan got to be in the battle, Peter just used the blasted, _She's older, and can actually take care of herself, Ed _excuse. Edmund didn't want to be in the battle because he wanted to kill some Telmarines, but he didn't want to be out of the action. Who was going to protect Peter if he wasn't there?

Edmund looked over the ledge to see Peter get slashed on the arm by a Telmarine sword. It tore his brown tunic and made a shallow cut in his bicep. Edmund was about to run down the stairs and join the battle, despite what Peter said, when he caught Peter's eye. Peter, safe for the moment, pointed to Edmund and then drew one finger across his neck. The message was clear: _You disobey me, and you're dead. _

Edmund decided he didn't want to take his chances with Peter, so he left the ledge to find a place where he could watch the battle that was out of danger. He stopped at a slanted part of the roof going up a couple meters, and Edmund looked around. He could watch the battle from the top, without getting the attention of soldiers. He would just have to watch out for arrows and be able to get out safely when Peter calls the retreat.

Edmund gripped hold of the shingles and started to climb up. It took him a couple minutes, slipping on loose shingles and straining his arms and legs. After a time of struggling and muttering, Edmund draped his arms over the top of the roof and pulled himself up to see the battle.

It was exactly as Edmund predicted: few Narnians against a plethora of Telmarines. Although the Telmarines were easily downed, there was always another one to take his place. Edmund spotted Susan; she grabbed arrows and strung them so quick she was a blur. An arrow was released every two seconds, whether it was shot or thrown at a soldier when they came to close.

Edmund deemed her safe for the moment and looked for Peter. He was in a combat near a fountain in the middle of the courtyard with what looked like a skilled Telmarine. Peter didn't seem to have any other injuries than the sword cut on his arm.

Edmund was just starting to think that the battle was actually going well. The fauns were easily jumping from balcony to balcony, striking down Telmarines as they went. The Minotaurs had to chase after Telmarines who were to afraid to go against them. The centaurs were starting to scare the Telmarines too: not with their size, but with their massive swords and powerful strides.

Edmund was searching the grounds for Caspian when he heard someone call out, "Archers!" Edmund watched in horror as Telmarines began pouring out onto the balconies, many taking position just below the roof where Edmund was resting. They lined up on the edge and took aim with their arrows.

Edmund looked down at the soldier in particular. He had picked a target. Edmund almost cried out when he saw who the target was: Peter. He could shout a warning, but Peter might not hear him and move away in time. Plus, it would alert the soldiers of Edmund's location. Edmund could only ponder this a moment longer when he realized he was losing time.

_I guess I'm taking this into my own hands. _Edmund thought.

Without another thought, he leaped up and over the top of the roof, landing on his butt on the other side. He pushed off from the top, sliding down the shillings feet first, already focused dead center on the soldier's back. He slid down the rest of the roof, his feet colliding with the soldier's back. The soldier let out a cry of surprise before he toppled off the edge, where his screaming stopped suddenly as he hit the main floor.

Edmund landed on the balcony and looked over the edge, along with the rest of the soldiers. He saw the soldier hit the ground, and he was instantly hit with vertigo. His breathing hitched and his eyesight went fuzzy. _That's a long way to fall,_ Edmund thought.

Edmund was suddenly startled out of his dizzy state when he heard Peter cry, "Ed!" Edmund's sight cleared, and he looked at Peter, who was looking like a cross between horrified and angry. Edmund whipped his head around to see the group of soldiers on the balcony with him, staring at him like he came out of the sky. Which he practically did.

Edmund took off towards a door at the end of the balcony while the soldiers fumbled with their bows. Edmund dived through the open door, hoping to make himself a smaller target. The soldiers pointed their bows at him as he desperately kicked his foot out to close the door. Arrows whizzed through the door, and Edmund cried out as one pierced his left shoulder. He kicked the door closed and reached up to bolt it, fingers shaking.

After Edmund was sure the door stayed closed—despite the pounding and yelling from the other side—Edmund rose shakily to his feet. He looked at his throbbing shoulder to see blood pouring from the wound. The arrow shot, across such a short distance, embedded itself deep into his shoulder. Edmund hoped it hadn't pierced anything vital.

Edmund heard the door splinter as it was being forced open, and he took off down the dimly lit hallway. Edmund heard shouting as the door was finally burst open, and he looked back to see two soldiers chasing him. He ran to the end of the hallway where he the corridor broke off in two directions. Remembering from Caspian's map of the castle that the left passage led to a tower—one that he could use to escape—Edmund turned left and ran up the stairs, taking them two at a time. He burst through a door at the top and came to the top of a tower. He slammed the door closed, putting his torch through the handle to keep it shut.

Edmund could already hear the pounding on the door. He ran to the edge and whistled three short times, a signal for Penna to come and get him. He was leaning over the edge keeping an eye out for her when the door burst open, the torch falling on the ground at Edmund's feet. Edmund started to reach for his sword when the two soldiers pointed their swords at his chest.

"Hands off the hilt, boy," one Telmarine sneered. He leaned forward and poked Edmund's leather-clad chest. Edmund slowly raised his hands up, his eyes darting around for Penna. The soldier pushed the sword harder against Edmund, making him back up until he was standing at the ledge.

The Telmarine spoke again. "Well now, boy. It seems you're out of options. Should I take you to Lord Miraz, or end your life here and now?"

The other soldier lowered his sword nervously. He spoke up, a lisp evident in his voice. "Now wait a minute, Pertinax. We shouldn't go killing a little boy like this. He looks no older than my little brother. You remember him, don't you Perty?"

The soldier, Pertinax, scowled at him, his sword still pointed at Edmund. "I told you never to call me that, Inanis. And your brother may be younger, but he is stronger and much more of a warrior than you! I say we take him to Miraz. We won't be responsible for him, and we get the credit for capturing him."

Inanis looked at Edmund, a frown coming on his face. "But I don't want to take him to Miraz. We won't get no reward. I say that we should end his misery right now." Edmund's eyes flicked frantically from soldier to soldier, desperately hoping Penna would show up.

Pertinax laughed at Inanis. "Okay then, if you're so sure. Why don't you do it then?"

Inanis looked down sadly at his shiny blade. "But I don't wanna get blood on my new sword. Mother just sharpened it. Why don't you do it, Perty?" Edmund couldn't help but snicker at the nickname.

Pertinax lowered his sword and shoved Inanis angrily. "Stop calling me that! It was just a name we used when we were kids. Not when we're older!"

Inanis, acting like the child he was on the inside, dropped his sword and pushed Pertinax, making him stumble into Edmund, who teetered dangerously on the edge.

Edmund smiled nervously. He spoke in a formal, yet condescending manner. "Excuse me, sirs, please just calm down before I get hurt."

Pertinax and Inanis ignored him, now grappling at each other. They were tripping over their feet and stumbling around the tower. Edmund leaned on the ledge and whistled again. _Where is Penna? _he thought angrily. _I'm going to get killed!_

Edmund turned around just in time to get hit in the face by Pertinax, knocking him off balance. With a small cry of surprise, Edmund slipped off the edge and fell off the tower and out of view.

Inanis leaped to the edge and looked over the edge, but there was no one to be seen. He looked at Pertinax. "Well," he said. "I guess that ends that."

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><p>AN- First off...Edmund's not dead. We can all relax into our chairs with sighs of relief. I wouldn't kill Edmund... Well that chapter's done with. Next chapter deviates from the movie a bunch more. Just a fact I should add: the soldiers' names each have meanings in Latin: "Pertinax" = "stubborn" and "Inanis" = "empty, blank". I thought that was funny.

**PLEASE **Read and Review :D

**Reviews- **CrazyDyslexicNerd- (and anyone else)- I just wanted to let you know that I do not plan romance of any kind in my story. Anything that I do write would be "sibling-fluff" or something like that. I'm sorry if I confused you, and I hope you continue to read my story. :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note- **Hey, this is my first story EVER, so I hope you like it. Feel free to review, and I don't mind criticism. I probably have made errors, so if you spot any, please let me know. THANKS

**Disclaimer- **I don't *sniffle* own Edmund or the Chronicles of Narnia. They belong comp-*sob*-letely to C.S. Lewis and Walden Media.

**Rated- **T

**Review- **Thanks to everyone who reviewed. If I am going to make a comment on a specific person's review, it will be at the bottom of each chapter.

**Summary- **What would happen if Edmund was captured by the Telmarines on the night of the raid? Will he make it out alive? And will Peter finally come to terms with how he has been acting?

* * *

><p>Chapter 4<p>

Edmund closed his eyes to try to block out the sensation of falling, the whistling of the wind in his ears, but he. It was everything he expected: the feeling of no control, the agony, and most importantly, the waiting for the moment when he hit the ground and felt the burst of pain before fading and going into the light.

The one moment when Edmund did open his eyes was one he never forgot. The wind whipped at his eyes, making them water and burn. The world was spinning: different shades of black and grey twirling in and out of his vision.

Edmund couldn't help but wonder why his fall was such a long one. He assumed he was ready to die, but didn't think it would take this long to get it over with. Edmund was startled out of his last thoughts when a piercing shriek filled the air. Parts of his vision started to fill with shades of golden, and suddenly Edmund collided with something hard.

Edmund let out a startled cry, at a much higher octave than his normal voice. His breath hitched in his throat when he realized he had landed squarely on Penna's back. He sighed in relief and rubbed his hand along her neck.

"I really wish you had come five minutes earlier, Penna," he said, trying to make the situation humorous.

Penna swiveled her head around and showed what could have been a smile. "My apologies, Edmund," she joked. "I thought you would enjoy falling off a tower before I could come and retrieve you." Edmund laughed, happy he had found a friend who was as lighthearted as he was.

Penna flew up and circled around the tower, waiting for Edmund's command. "Fly low over the courtyard, Penna. I want to see the damage." Penna nodded and dived down low, flying about 10 meters off the ground.

Edmund's heart skipped a beat. Bodies of both Telmarines and Narnians were strewn all over place. But what really caught Edmund's attention were the mounds of Narnian bodies piled up in front of the main gate. A faun was stuck to the gate, as if he was still trying to escape. "Aslan's Mane," Edmund whispered, horrified.

Penna shook her head before letting out a mournful keening noise. It echoed throughout the castle, and Edmund knew that it would alert soldiers. Edmund rubbed her neck. "Quiet, Penna! You're going to attract attention."

It was so silent that Edmund was able to hear the sudden whistling of arrows. He didn't have time to shout a warning before Penna shrieked in pain. Edmund looked to see two arrows piercing her right wing and another in her leg. "Penna!" he cried.

Penna started coasting, trying to flap her wing to stay aloft. Blood was streaming greatly, and Penna started to lose altitude. Edmund hung on to her as she dropped out of the sky. They crashed to the ground of the courtyard, and Edmund flipped over Penna's head and landed on his back, cracking his head against the stone.

Edmund struggled to sit up, blinking away the black spots dancing in his vision. He didn't think anything was broken, but he was definitely going to be sore. He crawled over to where Penna was lying on the ground. Her eyelids were flickering and he knew she would fall unconscious. He stroked her head and whispered words of comfort.

Edmund looked up at the sound of pounding feet. A group of Telmarines—Edmund counted about ten—came walking down the stairs, arrows pointed right at the two of them. Edmund rose to his feet shakily and stood in front of Penna, hoping to protect her from the coming Telmarines. He unsheathed his sword and held it in front of him, although his head was spinning and his hands were shaking.

The group stopped in front of Edmund. Someone—Edmund assumed him to be the General—walked up to him and stated clearly, "You are human. Lord Miraz would want to interrogate you. Put the sword down and come quietly please."

Edmund pointed the sword at the General's neck, stopping him from coming any closer. "I assume you are the General. What makes you think that I will come willingly?"

"It's General Glozelle, and who may I ask are you?"

Edmund stood up straight. "My name is my own business." He did not want to let them know they had a king in their midst, or else they would never escape.

Glozelle shook his head. "Very well, we will find out soon enough. You will not obey and come quietly? I do believe that you want to stay alive. You would not last in a fight against nine of my soldiers. I'm also sure you do not your precious_ beast _killed."

Penna growled weakly, making Edmund frown. Edmund replied again, agitated, "She is not a beast, but one of the finest flyers in all of Narnia. You will treat her with respect." Edmund looked at all the soldiers. "I think that we should test your theory. If I can survive in a battle against your soldiers, you will let my friend and I go."

The soldiers laughed, but Glozelle did not think the situation humorous. "Very well, then. We will play a little game. If you can beat my nine companions—defeat, but _not _kill—then I will let you go free." Edmund only nodded in response, sword at the ready. He did not like his chances, for he was weak and his left shoulder was throbbing in pain. The arrow was still in his arm, and he would have to eventually pull it out. He would have to fight one-handed.

Two soldiers charged at Edmund, swords swiping at his head. Edmund simply ducked under their swords and slashed at their ankles, making them trip and fall to the ground. _Two down, _Edmund thought bitterly.

The rest of the soldiers looked a little nervous; Glozelle was merely standing to the side, arms crossed over his chest. Three more soldiers came at Edmund, though more cautiously. He parried each blow and dispatched of each them with a slash to the arm or leg. They retreated back, too nervous to attack again. _Three to go, _he thought_._

Another soldier came at him. He aimed low at Edmund's legs, and Edmund jumped straight over the blade and came behind the soldier. He smacked the soldier on the helmet with his hilt, knocking him to the ground. Edmund bent over at the waist as black spots came into his vision. His arm was aching and his he felt like he had a rock in his head. The last two soldiers took their chance and attacked Edmund, knocking him to the ground. Edmund saw a blade come toward his head, parried it, and then slashed blindly upwards. He heard a sickening gurgling sound as the soldier's head came clean off, landing on the ground with a thud. The body fell against Edmund, and he threw it off of him with disgust. Blood pooled around his feet, staining his shoes and filling the air with a coppery odor.

Edmund slowly rose to his feet to see the last soldier—the only one who wouldn't dare to fight Edmund—and General Glozelle glaring at him. The soldier cried, outraged, "He killed Ledo, General. He broke the rules!" Two soldiers, who weren't badly injured in their fight, grabbed him by the arms, jostling his left shoulder and making him wince.

Glozelle walked up to Edmund and took his sword. "You killed a soldier, which was against the orders I gave you."

Edmund lifted his chin up and smirked. "It was not on purpose, and I never really agreed to the rules of this _game, _as you call it. I was never one for following orders anyway. I defeated your soldiers, now you must release me."

Glozelle only smiled, which made Edmund wary. "Kill the beast," he commanded.

Edmund gasped and struggled against the soldiers, ignoring the pain in his arm. A soldier took his sword and walked over to Penna, who was trying to catch Edmund's eye.

Edmund thrashed desperately in their arms. "Don't you dare touch her! Penna!" His eyes darted from Penna to General Glozelle. "Don't kill her. I'll—I'll come quietly. Take me. Just—just don't touch her." The soldier standing next to Penna looked to the General with an uncertain expression.

Glozelle looked at the griffin, who was shaking her head. "No!" she screeched to Edmund, but he had his head bowed. "Do not give yourself up for me. My life is not near as important as yours!" Edmund's head shot up to look at her, warning her with his eyes to be quiet.

General Glozelle pointed to the griffin. "Chain the griffin's legs together. It looks like these two are going to be prison mates."

* * *

><p>AN- Well, this is chapter four. I hope you liked it. :)

**Please review! :D **


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note- **Hey, this is my first story EVER, so I hope you like it. Feel free to review, and I don't mind criticism. I probably have made errors, so if you spot any, please let me know. I know I haven't updated in two weeks, and I have a lame but true excuse. I was on vacation, touring colleges. Did you know that most hotels don't have free internet? And that walking around two colleges a day can be about the same as walking maybe 5 miles a day? Gosh, I'm exhausted. Well, here's chapter 5. THANKS

**Disclaimer- **I don't feel like dealing with the heartbreaking feeling that I know that Chronicles of Narnia isn't mine, so I'm just gonna let you read the earlier chapters for disclaimers. :D

**Review- **Thanks to everyone who reviewed. If I am going to make a comment on a specific person's review, it will be at the bottom of each chapter.

**Summary- **What would happen if Edmund was captured by the Telmarines on the night of the raid? Will he make it out alive? And will Peter finally come to terms with how he has been acting?

* * *

><p>Chapter 5<p>

Peter rode silently on his horse, the screams of his soldiers still echoing in his brain. He had been through many battles during his reign, but he had never witnessed such a massacre before. His gripped his horses' reins so tightly his hands were cramping.

Susan was riding on Glenstorm's back, giving Peter worried glances. She stared at him for a moment, taking in his shaking form before looking at Caspian's back a couple meters ahead. He rode silently next to his Professor, back stiff and not daring to look back.

Susan turned her gaze up at the night sky, but she wasn't looking at stars. She was searching for a griffin: the griffin who was carrying her little brother. She saw Penna circling a tower before she left the courtyard, and knew Penna would pick up Edmund and be out of there at the first sign of retreat. But there had been no sign that Penna had made it out of the castle, and Susan was getting worried.

She was about to ask Peter if she should whistle a signal to Edmund when she heard a high-pitched shriek fill the air. It stopped the Narnians in their spots and they looked at the sky with confused and fearful expressions. Susan's heartbeat sped up when she realized that the cry was of pure agony, and what was worse was that it was the cry of a griffin.

She looked over and whispered to Peter, "Was that Penna?"

Peter shook his head in disbelief. "No, it absolutely can't be," Peter spoke loud enough to get the attention of nearby soldiers, along with Caspian. "Edmund would have made sure they both got out safely. He wouldn't be careless and get caught."

Susan shot Peter an annoyed look before looking at the sky intently. "I haven't seen any sign of him or Penna, Peter. I'm really worried." She turned her head towards the castle and whistled two times, a signal that she and her siblings had come up with to contact each other. Whistling two times alerted the siblings to their locations, and it was a quick way for them to ensure that each sibling was safe.

The sound traveled over the entire army, and no doubt made it to the castle. Susan waited in the silence, holding her breath for the two whistles that were sure to come. The rest of the Narnians listened, hoping for some sign from the Just King. She waited 10 seconds, then 20, and after a minute she was breathing heavily. Her eyes glistened with tears as she turned to Peter. "He's not answering Peter! He's been captured, or even—" she couldn't finish her sentence, praying silently that her brother wasn't dead.

Caspian yanked on the reins of his horse, falling back until he was in line with Susan. "I am sure Edmund is perfectly fine, Susan. Perhaps he is too tired to answer your calls, or he just did not hear." He attempted to make his words sound reassuring, but the anger he held inside gave out a biting edge in his voice.

Susan shook her head, her dark brown hair falling in front of her eyes. She impatiently swept it behind her ears. "Not Edmund. Edmund would be able to answer that call even if he were half dead and struggling to breathe. He's been in that situation numerous times." She chuckled, despite the circumstances.

Caspian shrugged. "I suggest we return to the How and wait for him. If he has been able to get out of those situations, he will definitely get out of this one." He kicked his horse in the ribs and quickly left Susan in the dust, returning to the front of the pack. Peter frowned and pushed his horse to the front of the army as well, determined to be seen first in the return to the How.

The sun had just risen when they caught sight of the How. Fauns and Centaurs were standing impatiently outside, and they stood up straighter when they saw the weak and battered army return. Lucy ran out from inside the How, stopping in her tracks when she noticed the very small remaining troops, most of whom were sporting various injuries.

She saw Peter approaching on foot, with Caspian immediately to his right and Susan a few steps behind. She didn't see Edmund yet, but figured he was lagging behind, watching over soldiers with injuries as he always would during their reign. "What happened?" she said, horrified.

Peter's face was set in stone, reining in emotions that were trying to burst out. "Ask him," he replied through gritted teeth, obviously referring to Prince Caspian.

Caspian faltered in his step, not expecting to have the blame of the entire disaster set on him. "Me?" he asked.

Peter turned to face him. "Of course you. If you hadn't lost control of your emotions and followed the plan, all of those soldiers might be alive. You let Miraz escape, and he sounded the alarm. So it is your fault!"

Caspian quickly retaliated, stabbing his finger in Peter's face. "If we had just stayed here, then we'd all be alive. We were all against your idea! We knew it would get us all killed, but you cornered everyone into following your plan! All three of the other monarchs didn't like it, but they agreed because you're the _High King." _He said it with such malice it made Peter's title sound cruel.

Peter's face turned red with fury. "Don't you dare try to turn my siblings against me! You were the one who called us for help! Narnia would never be able to survive if they had you for a king."

Caspian shouted, "I am not a king who would abandon Narnia! And when you do finally return, all you do is kill half the army and leave our best diplomat in the hands of a murderer. You're the reason King Edmund is missing!"

Peter roared and unsheathed his sword, just as Caspian brandished his. Their swords met with a harsh clang, but they were frozen in their fighting when they heard a loud, "WHAT?"

Peter dropped his sword in surprise and turned to face a devastated Lucy. "Where is Edmund, Peter?" Without waiting for an answer, she scanned the army still standing in front of her, hoping to see a raven-haired boy smiling at her. She called Edmund's name once, twice. She whistled like Susan did, but tears were already pouring down her face. Susan gathered her in a hug, tears streaming down her face as well, but Lucy only had eyes for Peter.

"You left him there, Peter?" she asked, heartbroken. "He followed you into a hopeless battle, and you abandoned him?"

Peter stared in horror at Lucy's face. He turned to scan the crowd, taking note of how few Narnians made it out alive. He felt his eyes watering, but he blinked the tears away. He didn't have time to cry. Out of the corner of his eye, Peter saw Caspian sheath his sword and walk back into the How.

Susan was rubbing circles on Lucy's back when she noticed Glenstorm. "Lucy," she whispered, quickly pointing out the Centaur to her sister. Lucy saw Glenstorm, and more importantly, the injured Trumpkin in his arms, and gasped. She broke out of her sister's grasp and ran to the dwarf's side. He had a fairly large cut on his head, and bruises all over his arms. His breathing was shallow, and Lucy, recalling lessons from her teachers in Narnia, suspected internal bleeding. She pulled the cork off her cordial and poured one drop in his mouth.

Just a moment later he opened his eyes, taking in his surroundings. He noticed all the Narnians staring at him, and said bitterly, "What are you all standing around here for? The Telmarines will be here soon enough."

Lucy smiled at him, glad he was feeling better. She stood up to leave when she felt Trumpkin grasp her wrist. "Thank you," Trumpkin said, with the smallest hint of a smile. "My dear little friend."

Lucy grinned and began her walk back to the How, when she suddenly froze where she stood. The wind whistled through her hair, and the temperature seemed to drop ten degrees. "Lucy?" Susan asked, concerned. Peter, still slightly shaken, appeared at her side. "What is it?"

Lucy grabbed her dagger and looked at Susan in pure fear. She whispered one word, before taking off in a mad dash into the How:

"Jadis."

* * *

><p>Edmund was stuck in the dungeon, chained by his wrists to the wall. His wrists had gone numb hours ago, and his legs ached from his sitting position. With the help of Penna, he was able to stand up a couple of times, but a guard entered the cell every time to order him back down. If Edmund didn't listen, and of course he wouldn't, the guard used force. Edmund almost laughed at the fact that the guards seemed to think he was a threat standing up. He almost laughed harder when he realized it was true. The guards were afraid of him, and he could use that to his advantage later.<p>

Edmund quickly learned to stay where he was, leaning against Penna and nursing his bruises. He hoped to get some sleep, to reserve his strength, but the horrid smell of the dungeon kept him awake and alert. The walls were slick and slimy, and smelled horribly of sewage and blood.

Edmund was finally drifting off to sleep when he noticed that his arms were getting cold. Although Edmund had been sweating not long ago, he was suddenly shivering and wishing he had his hands free enough to rub his arms. His trousers kept his legs relatively warm, but it wasn't long until his toes started to freeze and his knees were shaking. He knew his nose and cheeks were pink, and he suspected his lips were blue.

He looked over at Penna to see her slightly shivering. Her fur should have protected her perfectly, but the temperature was becoming unbearable. "It has become awfully cold, Edmund," she said. "Something is horribly wrong."

Edmund shivered again, leaning into Penna in an attempt to warm himself against her golden fur. "I don't like it at all, Penna," he spoke quietly, so as not to disturb the guard. "Something dreadful is going to happen. I can feel it."

* * *

><p>AN- Well, this is chapter five. I hope you liked it. :)

**Please review! :D**


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note- **Hey, this is my first story EVER, so I hope you like it. Feel free to review, and I don't mind criticism. I probably have made errors, so if you spot any, please let me know. THANKS

_I am really sorry for not updating in a week or two. I have no one to blame but myself, but I'll blame other things anyway: Laziness, College Touring, Summer Work, Anticipation for the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 premiere, etc etc. I'll try to be better. :D_

**Disclaimer- **I don't feel like dealing with the heartbreaking feeling that I know that Chronicles of Narnia isn't mine, so I'm just gonna let you read the earlier chapters for disclaimers. :D

**Rated- **T

**Thanks- **I would really like to thank my best friend, AzianxPersuasion, for helping me with my story. She and I share ideas, and she is the one who edits every chapter and spots every single mistake (and trust me, there are a LOT). So thanks so much! This chapter, with pretty much every other chapter, is dedicated to you. :)

**Review- **Thanks to everyone who reviewed. If I am going to make a comment on a specific person's review, it will be at the bottom of each chapter.

**Summary- **What would happen if Edmund was captured by the Telmarines on the night of the raid? Will he make it out alive? And will Peter finally come to terms with how he has been acting?

* * *

><p>Chapter 6<p>

Lucy ran down one of the dark corridors of the How, dagger unsheathed and tightly gripped in her hand. Peter sprinted beside her, his sword also out and in his hand, and Trumpkin followed not far behind. She was headed at a neck-breaking pace towards the Stone Table, her dress whipping around her ankles.

The corridor turned sharply, and Lucy could see the Table in the distance. She gasped in horror and put on an extra burst of speed. Between two pillars a wall of ice stood, and Lucy could clearly see the White Witch encased in the ice. The Witch looked impatient, anticipating her escape from the icy prison. She was holding her hand out to Caspian, who was standing in a drawn circle on the floor. He had a bloody hand outstretched, about to grab the Witch's hand. Nikabrik, a werewolf almost the size of Peter, and a green-haired hag waited outside the circle, each with their own anxious, giddy expressions.

Peter jumped ahead of Lucy, and let out a loud, "Stop!" He jumped onto the Table and the werewolf leaped up to meet him. The werewolf growled menacingly, and Peter swiped his sword at it. Trumpkin darted to the left, locking himself in battle with Nikabrik. Lucy stopped to come face to face with the hag, who was pointing a knife with Caspian's blood on it at her. The hag swung at Lucy's head and Lucy, grateful for once for her height, barely had to duck to avoid the knife. Lucy swiped at the hag, aiming for her chest. The hag moved to the side, but Lucy's dagger caught the hag by the arm and swung her around. The hag spun in a circle and came to face Lucy. Lucy didn't hesitate before plunging her dagger deep into the hag's chest, killing her instantly.

Lucy sighed in relief and looked around. The werewolf lay dead on the floor behind the Stone Table, his head cleaved in two by Peter's sword. Trumpkin was still in battle with Nikabrik. Nikabrik was attacking the Red Dwarf mercilessly. Trumpkin seemed reluctant to harm his friend, so he merely played defensively.

Peter knocked Caspian out of the circle; the poor Prince was groaning on the ground. Peter's sword was raised at the Witch, but Lucy realized with horror that Peter was slowly lowering his sword, his face twisted in confusion. He cocked his head and looked at the Witch, who seemed to be convincing Peter to take her hand.

Lucy looked around desperately. _I have to break that ice, _she thought. Her dagger was still embedded in the hag, and Lucy didn't have time to pull it out at the moment. She swept up the hag's knife off the floor. She lifted her heavy arms and weakly threw the knife at the Witch's chest.

The knife flew, making a little whistling noise as it sliced through the air. It was about to plunge deep into the ice when the Witch caught it in midair, about a millimeter away from the fragile ice wall. She laughed evilly and rubbed her fingers against the tip of the knife, where Caspian's blood still resided. She pulled her hand back inside the ice wall, and she licked her bloody fingers.

Lucy crouched behind the Stone Table and watched, horrified as the front of the ice wall exploded, showering chunks of ice over the floor. One particularly large piece hit Peter squarely on the head, and he crumpled to the floor. Lucy covered her head with her arms and felt the little ice blocks poke her fingers and hair.

Lucy raised her head and peeked over the Table. The temperature of the room seemed to drop ten degrees. Lucy could see her breath in front of her face, and she rubbed her fingers against her arm, feeling goosebumps. The tips of her hair had little icicles stuck to the strands.

The White Witch stood menacingly in front of the shattered ice, sword in one hand and the no longer smashed ice wand in the other. She sneered down at Peter, and Lucy prayed that she wouldn't kill him right then and there. She held in a breath as the Witch kicked Peter lightly on the head; his head lolled and she glared at him in disgust and hatred. Lucy let out a sigh of relief as the Witch walked past him and the dazed Caspian; Trumpkin wasn't in Lucy's line of sight, and she didn't know whether he had lived or not.

The Witch strode right past Lucy and out of the room and down the corridor. Lucy wasn't sure if the Witch ignored her or if she truly didn't see her. Lucy stared after her until she turned the corridor and walked out of sight. Lucy sprinted to Peter's side and stroked his cheek; he groaned in response. Lucy opened his eyes and noticed the pupils were their normal size: he didn't have a concussion and would just wake up with a small headache.

Lucy felt a hand on her shoulder; she jumped up and reached for her dagger, only to realize it was still in the chest of the hag. Trumpkin had also jumped at Lucy's reaction.

Lucy let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. "Nikabrik?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

Trumpkin shook his head, wordlessly pointing to the Black Dwarf's corpse. Lucy's eyes felt watery, but she blinked back her tears. She hadn't known Nikabrik very well, but she hated what chaos the White Witch caused.

Trumpkin walked over to the hag and swiftly yanked the dagger out of her chest; Lucy winced at the squelching sound it made. He wiped the bloody knife on his tunic before handing it hilt first back to Lucy. She accepted it and put it back in her sheath.

Lucy stood up, wiping her sweaty palms on her dress."There is nothing we can do about the Witch until Peter wakes up. I'll fetch Glenstorm and some fauns to bring two litters and we'll put Peter and Caspian in their quarters for now. Please remove the dead from my sight, Trumpkin. I can't bear to look upon them any longer." Trumpkin nodded and bowed.

Lucy was already heading down the hall when she heard a piercing scream. She didn't hesitate to take off at the noise and race down the hall. She barely turned the corner when she smashed into the female Centaur that screamed. She bounced backward and landed sprawled on her back. Lucy scrambled to her feet and ran to the Centaur.

"Shhh, Meera, it's okay." Lucy finally seemed to calm down the distraught female. She rubbed her hand along her flank. "What has scared you so?"

Meera was a relative of Glenstorm's: she had his dark skin and brown eyes. Her hair was a caramel color and it reached down to her shoulders. Lucy considered her a great friend, as she was one of the only centaurs who would let a Monarch ride her.

Meera let out a wail and pointed to the corner of the room. It was darker without the light of the torch and Lucy hadn't noticed it before. She walked slowly to the corner, taking tentative steps as if something could come out and bite her. She reached out a hand and felt air until her fingers wrapped around something cold and solid. Meera took a torch from the wall and trotted behind Lucy.

Lucy felt the thing she was holding confusedly. It was stone cold, but smooth and cylinder shaped. _It feels almost like an arm, _Lucy thought. Then, Meera shined the torch and suddenly what Lucy was holding could be seen perfectly. Lucy let out a longer scream than Meera and let go of the statue, falling backwards into Meera's stomach.

"Susan!"

Lucy stumbled forward and felt her sister's frozen face. She was caught with the expression of surprise, but Lucy could also make out terror in her face. Lucy stroked her sister's cheek as tears poured down her face. She was crying so hard she started hiccupping; Meera wrapped and arm around Lucy, and Lucy clinged to it like a lifeline.

Meera sniffled. "I am so sorry, milady. Do you think that your precious cordial may save her?"

Lucy shook her head. "No, Meera." She hiccupped. "My cordial was never able to unfreeze a creature. Only,—" she hiccupped again. "—only Aslan's breath can do that. We need to find Aslan, now more than ever."

Lucy buried her head against Meera's shoulder. Meera awkwardly patted Lucy's brownish-red hair, trying to speak words of comfort. "Lion's Mane," Lucy whispered. "What am I going to tell Peter?"

* * *

><p>AN- Well, this is chapter six. I hope you liked it. :)

**Please review! :**


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note- **Hey, this is my first story EVER, so I hope you like it. Feel free to review, and I don't mind criticism. I probably have made errors, so if you spot any, please let me know. THANKS

_I am really sorry for not updating in on time. But this time it really wasn't my fault. My charger was in the hands of my older sister, who was away, and my little sister drained by laptop battery. So I was uploading the story Friday night when, of course, my laptop died! :D_

**Disclaimer- **I don't feel like dealing with the heartbreaking feeling that I know that Chronicles of Narnia isn't mine, so I'm just gonna let you read the earlier chapters for disclaimers. :D

**Rated- **T

**Thanks- **I would really like to thank my best friend, AzianxPersuasion, for helping me with my story. She and I share ideas, and she is the one who edits every chapter and spots every single mistake (and trust me, there are a LOT). So thanks so much! This chapter, with pretty much every other chapter, is dedicated to you. :)

**Review- **Thanks to everyone who reviewed. If I am going to make a comment on a specific person's review, it will be at the bottom of each chapter.

**Summary- **What would happen if Edmund was captured by the Telmarines on the night of the raid? Will he make it out alive? And will Peter finally come to terms with how he has been acting?

* * *

><p>Chapter 7<p>

_Meanwhile:_

Edmund had been in dungeons before. Lion's Mane, had he been in some pretty disgusting prisons. There was the Witch's icy prison of course, and the Calormen dungeon. He was even locked in the Archenland dungeon when little Corin had played that joke on him. But he decided that this dungeon was definitely the most disgusting prison he had ever seen. Even worse than the Calormen dungeon, Edmund had told Penna upon first inspection of the dreary place.

Edmund was still sat on the ground of the cell, with his arms dangling above his head. The arrow had been removed, but it hadn't been cleaned and Edmund feared he would get an infection. He had lost feeling in his hands hours ago, but he didn't complain in order to remain strong in front of the guards. Penna lay on the ground next to him; the griffin's legs were chained to the wall. Her head rested on one of Edmund's legs. The arrow was still embedded in her golden wing because the General had assumed she wouldn't attempt to escape if the wound didn't heal. Edmund stifled a laugh when he heard the General speak said assumption to Miraz: Penna could take off the second the arrow was out of her wing.

Edmund talked to Penna to avoid getting bored. He had taken to happily complaining about the dark dungeon.

"Oh Penna, you must agree with me. This is without a doubt the ugliest place you've ever seen. It's so dark and depressing. It makes me feel like I'm in a morgue. I am just waiting to see a dead body carted in here to be prepped for burial."

Penna nodded, chuckling. "Oh, yes, Michael." Edmund wanted to keep his identity a secret, so he borrowed one of his dorm mate's names and asked Penna to use it often to convince soldiers it was really his name. "It is rather abysmal. There is absolutely no color or light in this place."

Edmund grinned. "Oh yes. In the C—, uh I mean, if I were to imagine my own prison, then there would be windows that let in light from the garden. They would be barred of course, but they would let in a nice draft from outside. There would be a bench and the hallways lit with bright lights. I can barely see myself in this dim lighting."

Edmund carefully covered up his slip up, not wishing to mention Cair Paravel as it would give Miraz a hint of his identity. Penna luckily understood he was talking about his beloved castle and kept quiet.

Edmund called out to the guards. "Oi!" A soldier turned to face the prisoners from where he stood next to the cell. "Couldn't you put some more lights in the hallway? It would certainly cheer up the place. And don't you get bored just standing there all day? If it were me, my legs would give out within the first hour. I would want a seat and nice chess set. That would be nice, wouldn't it, Penna?" Penna nodded, before burying her head further in Edmund's leg to keep from laughing at the comments of her absurd king. At first she had suspected that Edmund had a concussion, as that would be a good explanation for many of his comments. But Edmund was just truly bored out of his mind.

"Don't you get relieved by any guards?" Edmund continued. Behind his amusing questions, Edmund was also looking for information. The best time to escape would be when guards are being relieved by new ones. There would be a short period of time where there wouldn't be a guard next to his cell. There would be less people to handle, and it would much easier to escape.

The guard grew irritated. "Be quiet!" he shouted, knocking his metal gauntlet covered hand, against the bars, making a clanging sound that echoed throughout the cell.

Edmund only smirked and turned back to Penna. "As I was saying, Penna, the lighting is dreadful. And there is no color in here. In my dungeon, there would be red and gold banners hanging on the walls down the corridor. I can imagine them now: absolutely beautiful. Even the Calormen dungeons had banners hanging up, although they were a ghastly beige color. Who would want a banner the color of sand, anyway?"

Edmund twisted his head around, hoping to find another topic to launch into. His eyes landed on the guard and he smiled. "You know what else I find rather ghastly, Penna?"

Penna noticed where Edmund's gaze was pointing. "I believe you may be thinking of that awful armor, E—Michael. I have never seen anything so bulky. I do not think I have ever seen this much black in my life before. Even nighttime has more color than this. At least your leather armor is that brown."

Edmund deduced that the black color was chosen specifically so that Telmarines could be camouflaged at night, but he didn't comment about it. "That helmet is unsightly. I don't understand how they survive in the heat, especially with that horrid mask. Think of hundreds of Telmarines marching in perfect precision wearing the same exact mask. Makes them all seem like one person. If only; they would be much easier to defeat that way." Edmund chuckled.

"You should have seen my real armor. This brown jacket was used last night just for the purpose of stealth. Imagine: Pe—my brother and I standing at the head of the line, donned in silver armor shining in the sunlight. Each of us had red tunics, mine a darker color than his. The golden Lion on the front of our tunics, and on my brother's shield. I rarely ever carried a shield. My armor was light, as I relied on my quick feet in battle. Ch—Charlie's armor was much heavier, as he relied on brute strength."

Penna chuckled, knowing full well that "Charlie" was Peter. "Apparently, having quick feet is better than having strength," Penna said proudly, "as you beat him in that duel I saw before we left for the castle. That was truly a magnificent sight to see."

Edmund smiled sheepishly. "It wasn't that impressive."

Penna snorted, which sounded rather absurd coming from the griffin. "It was one of the single most amazing things I have ever seen in my life. Dueling never appeared so complicated before. You two were practically dancing around each other."

Edmund pale cheeks turned pink. "Make sure not to say the word 'dancing' in front of Charlie next time you see him, Penna," he joked. "He has two left feet when it comes to Narnian dances, and if he is convinced that our fighting is like dancing, he'll never be able to swing a sword again."

Penna and Edmund stared at one another in the dim lighting before bursting out laughing. The guard banged his hand against the bars again, telling them to quit, but they were beyond caring. Edmund laughed till his face was blue. Penna enjoyed the sound as she didn't hear it often. The How was much too serious for jokes, but it desperately needed some.

One of the guards left his post, and Edmund's eyes followed his retreating back until it was no longer in sight. "Wonder where he is going?" he whispered.

"He probably is trying to escape from our meaningless conversations," Penna joked.

The two sat in silence for the next couple minutes, waiting to see where the soldier had gone. He returned after about five minutes with three soldiers and General Glozelle on his heels. The guard unlocked the cell door and approached the two Narnians. Penna lifted her head off of Edmund's leg and growled at the soldier, but he paid her no attention. He took a key and unchained Edmund's hands from the wall.

Edmund winced as the first feeling that came to his wrist was a feeling of pain. He slowly raised his right hand and bent his wrist. It throbbed, but the circulation slowly came back to it. He rubbed his left wrist with his right. He knew that the General had come to take him for questioning. He stroked Penna's head with his hand, thankful that the Creature didn't object. Narnians didn't like to be touched as if they were pets, but Penna knew that Edmund needed reassurance that things would be okay; she needed it too.

"Lord Miraz wants to see you, boy," General Glozelle said coldly. Two guards lifted Edmund to his feet, keeping a vice-like grip on his arms.

Edmund turned back to face Penna. "I'll return," he reassured her, as well as himself. "I'll be back."

"Yes," a soldier snickered. "He will be back. In pieces." Penna growled so menacingly that the soldier was the first one out of the cell, frantically pushing the other soldiers out of the way.

* * *

><p>AN: Okay so this is chapter seven. I hope you like it. This chapter was written just because I wanted to write something semi-funny. Edmund seems to have a lot of bad luck, so I gave him a break. Plus, I wanted a chapter with Penna. :D

Okay I have to ask, and hopefully some people will answer. Who has seen Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2? (Unfortunately I don't own that either.) I saw the midnight premiere, and I absolutely loved it. Of course, some things were different from the books, but it was still great. :D


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note- **Hey, this is my first story EVER, so I hope you like it. Feel free to review, and I don't mind criticism. I probably have made errors, so if you spot any, please let me know. THANKS

**Disclaimer- **I could never live up to the awesome name of Clive Staples Lewis, so no, I regretfully do not own Chronicles of Narnia.

**Rated- **T

**Thanks- **Every chapter is edited by my best friend, AzianXPersuasion, and I would really like to thank her for that. She was out of town this week, and even then she was able to read my chapter, edit it, and send back all her comments via Email and Text message, which was actually harder than it sounds. So Thanks!

**Review- **Thanks to everyone who reviewed. If I am going to make a comment on a specific person's review, it will be at the bottom of each chapter.

**Summary- **What would happen if Edmund was captured by the Telmarines on the night of the raid? Will he make it out alive? And will Peter finally come to terms with how he has been acting?

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><p>Chapter 8<p>

Edmund didn't struggle against the three guards who pulled him down the hallway. His hands were bound which would make it harder to break free. It would only result in Edmund getting hurt, and he didn't want to waste his strength. Instead he brooded in silence, casually glancing around the castle but really memorizing hallways and escape exits. He already learned that there were seven levels to the castle, and the dungeons, of course, were on the bottom floor. The bottom level also had locked storage rooms, which Edmund suspected housed old weapons and food rations. There was a door at the edge of the stairs to the upper floors, and Edmund could tell that the soldiers locked it at night to keep prisoners from escaping.

Edmund was dragged up three flights of stairs. He took notice of how high windows were, and how big locks were on doors. He had estimated the size of Penna, and compared it to the doors and windows to see if she could fit. When they had been captured, they traveled through the front entrance of the castle, which was large and grand enough to fit Penna easily, but there was no way Edmund was going to risk going to the front entrance of the castle in plain sight. Edmund did notice that on the wall next to the staircases were big, stained glass windows with elaborate images. Edmund thought about the idea of breaking one of the windows and flying over the walls, and decided he would share the idea with Penna later.

The soldiers stopped on the fourth floor and led Edmund into a grand room the size of half a football field. Edmund turned his gaze upward to see the ceiling, which was at least 15 meters above their heads and had golden chandeliers dangling in different corners. Mirrors decorated the walls, and in the middle of the room was a throne. It was simple, but massive in size which signified its importance. There were twenty chairs that filed in two lines down the sides of the room, ten on each side. Most of the chairs were occupied by old men with grey beards, and Miraz himself was seated on the throne. General Glozelle was standing next to the throne with a hand on the hilt of his sword.

Edmund was shoved into the middle of the room and forced down onto his knees. The guards backed up, and Edmund immediately pushed himself onto his feet. The occupants of the room stared at him quizzically.

Edmund sighed. "I highly doubt I was summoned here at this hour just to have some old men stare at me. If there is something you want, out with it then!"

Many of the men appeared shocked, and some grew angry. Miraz raised himself off his thrown and walked to stand in front of Edmund, who smirked when he realized he was almost the same height as the man. Had Peter been in his place, he would have towered over the little Lord. Miraz sneered and backhanded Edmund across the face, knocking him onto the ground. "You will not stand, boy. Stay where you are seated or you will only inflict more pain on yourself."

Edmund hadn't cried out, and he didn't even dare touch the wound to give Miraz the satisfaction. He sat back on his heels, resting his bound hands on his knees. "I am quite sure you will inflict the pain on me anyhow, _Lord _Miraz," he replied coldly.

Miraz raised a hand to hit him again, but then thought better of it. "Indeed I will," the man said, circling Edmund cautiously. "But first you will tell me, what is your name?"

Edmund bowed his head. If he had replied immediately, Miraz would assume he was lying, so Edmund hesitated before saying slowly, as if he didn't want to give up the information, "Michael."

Miraz leaned in closer and scoffed. "A very strange name indeed. How would I know if you were telling the truth?"

Edmund laughed. "You don't."

Miraz replied icily, "Then why is there a reason to keep you alive?"

Edmund answered smoothly, "Because you want information, and the only way you can get it is through me."

Miraz stared at Edmund angrily. "I know you have the information I seek, and I will not stop until I get it. So tell me, _Michael…_ what are the Narnians' plans? What are their battle strategies?"

Edmund got off his heels and sat on the floor, crossing his legs and making himself seem smaller. He spoke in a high-pitched, girly tone of voice, , "Now that is an excellent question. What are the plans of the Narnians? They are peaceful creatures. Maybe they will invite you over for tea, and you can make a peace treaty! Oh, Haela makes a great tea. Maybe they will want to retreat, and take some spoons and dig to China!"

The Lords shared puzzled looks: _What was China? _Miraz was just as dumbfounded, but hearing the mocking in Edmund's voice, he decided it wasn't a good thing. Miraz growled and tried to kick Edmund in the stomach, but the boy's legs blocked the way. Of course, it would leave a horrible bruise, but it was better than internal bleeding. "I have no time for this, stupid boy!" he yelled impatiently. "Your accent is different; you must be one of them. So tell me what your battle strategies are?"

Edmund glanced over to the throne to see the General looking at him pityingly. Edmund's eyes widened, but he masked his confusion and chuckled. "I had assumed, Lord Miraz, that you already knew many of the plans we might have created, since you have spies traveling all around the forest."

Miraz scowled. "We don't know now, but we will soon. I will ask you again, who are you? Here is another easy question for you. How many able Narnians do you have?"

Edmund smirked and raised his index finger. "First of all, all of our Narnians are able, male or female. Besides, numbers don't win a battle. Even if we were hopelessly outnumbered, we would still be able to defeat you." Edmund held up his middle finger, and grabbed both fingers with his other hand. "Second of all, who am I? Well, that's a very personal question. It might not just refer to what my name might be, but who I am on the inside. Who am I? The better question is, who are you, Miraz? A man who has replaced traitorous Caspian? Or the tyrant who murdered the poor boy's father and then tried to assassinate Prince Caspian himself!"

The Lords in the room broke into hushed whispering, shocked and wondering if what the strange boy said was true. "Silence!" Miraz shouted, keeping a calm face but felt surprised and mortified at the same time. He punched Edmund in the nose and knocked him flat onto his back. There was an audible crack and Edmund cried out as blood poured out of his nose.

"You broke it," Edmund said, shocked.

"That's not the only thing I will break!" Miraz shouted, infuriated. He kicked Edmund in the ribs, making the boy lose his breath. He continued to attack Edmund in the ribs until the boy was curled up on himself. He picked the boy up by his collar and threw him against one of the mirrors on the wall. The mirror cracked as Edmund's head collided with it and little shards rained down on his head. Edmund sat up dizzily and spit blood out of his mouth. As soon as his head cleared and the black spots in his eyes were gone, he grabbed at the glass shards at his feet. He stuffed as many pieces as he could into his boots before Miraz grabbed him around the neck and forced him down onto his stomach.

Blood coated Edmund's entire face, most of it coming from his nose but a little stream of it coming from his head. His eyesight was becoming more and more blurry and he felt weak. "I will never tell you." Edmund croaked. "I swore on my life I would never tell anyone anything ever again."

Miraz was confused, but quickly recovered. He wrapped an arm around Edmund's torso and pulled the boy up into a standing position in front of him. "If you won't tell, I know someone who will. Bring it in!"

Edmund raised his head and hazily saw the main doors open. Penna was being dragged through by her front legs as soldiers tugged on the chains. They made sure to keep their distance from the griffin's razor sharp teeth, which snapped at them whenever they got too close.

Her forest green eyes landed on Edmund's cloudy brown ones, and she roared in protest. "How _dare_ you hurt him! He is more valuable then all of you pathetic weasels combined. I ought to tear you apart!"

Miraz stared loathingly at the Talking Beast. "He is valuable, you say? Well, I do not think he will be worth much once he is dead!" He pulled out a dagger and put it to Edmund's throat.

"NO!" Penna shouted, and tried to rear up on her hind legs, but the soldiers yanked on the chains and pulled her until she lay sprawled on the ground. "Do not kill him!"

Miraz dragged Edmund closer to the griffin until they were within two feet of her. "You will tell me the number of Narnians you have ready for battle, and you will tell be right _now_," he said menacingly, pressing the blade harder against Edmund's throat. A little bead of blood coated the dagger before running down Edmund's neck and staining his tunic.

Edmund, who was fighting off the sleepy feeling coming over him, stared at Penna through the dizziness, trying to warn her not to listen. Miraz wouldn't kill him yet, because Miraz would wait to figure out his identity to see if he could use him. Edmund attempted to open his mouth, but the knife pressed deeper into his neck as a warning.

Penna bowed to Edmund, sorrow shining in her eyes. Edmund closed his eyes and gritted his teeth, waiting for the knife to cut into his neck and end his life.

"Before the raid, we had at least seven-hundred strong."

Edmund's eyes shot open, and he stared at Penna, who was looking at him sadly. "Why?"

Penna leaned her head forward, and nipped at Edmund's ankle, for that was all she could reach. "I can't lose you. I failed getting you out of this retched place. And I'm not going to be the reason you die."

Miraz snorted and shoved Edmund to the floor at Penna's feet. Penna sniffed at his head and sighed in relief as he sat up slowly. "How touching," Miraz said coldly. "Put them back in the dungeon."

Edmund was hoisted to his feet, but the blood loss made him dizzy and after a moment on unsteady legs, he fell to the floor in a heap.

"Ed!" Penna cried softly, putting a clawed foreleg on his arm and gnashing her teeth at anyone who drew near.

Edmund's eyes closed and his pounding head fell back. His nose was throbbing and his ribs ached. Right before he lost consciousness, he dimly heard Lord Sopespian whisper to Miraz, "Did she say 'Ed'?"

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><p>AN: Okay so this is chapter eight. I hope you liked it.

Thank you to everyone who reviewed and I would like to say a special shout-out to **CrazyDyslexicNerd, Tatty and Dragon, and mopotter17 **for commenting on the insanely awesome Harry Potter! The books are incredible and the movies are almost as great. So thanks for the comments.

Also, just out of curiosity, does anybody like Grey's Anatomy? I like to see if I have things in common with my reviewers, so don't be shy to answer!

**PLEASE REVIEW! THANKS :D**


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